Chittor V. Nagaiah

Chittor V. Nagaiah
Born Vuppaladadiyam Nagayya
(1904-03-28)28 March 1904
Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh
Died 30 December 1973(1973-12-30) (aged 69)
Occupation actor, composer, director, producer, writer and playback singer
Years active 1938–1973

Chittor V. Nagaiah (born Vuppaladadiyam Nagayya) was a multilingual Indian film actor, thespian, composer, director, producer, writer and playback singer from Andhra Pradesh, India. Indian film journalist and the editor of Film India, Baburao Patel, described Nagiah as The Paul Muni of India.[1] In his honor, the Mahati Chittor Nagaiah Kalakshetram of arts was established in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.[2] He was the lead protagonist in the most expensive 1940 Telugu production, Viswa Mohini, touted to be the first film on the Indian motion picture world.[3][4][5]

Nagaiah starred in about 200 Telugu films and 160 films in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. Widely recognized as one of the finest Indian method actors, his forte was usually playing intense characters, often immersing himself in study of the real character's traits and mannerisms.[6] He received the Padma Shri from the Government of India in 1965.[7][8][9]

Early life

Nagaiah was born on 28 March 1904 in a Telugu-speaking Brahmin family in Andhra Pradesh. His parents were Ramalinga Sarma and Venkata Lakshmamba. The family moved to Kuppam and later to Tirupati, in Chittoor district. He took up studies with a scholarship provided by the Tirupati Devasthanam and took his degree in Chittoor.[10]

Career

He worked as a clerk in a government office. Later, he became a journalist with Andhra Patrika. Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru influenced him and he participated in the freedom struggle (Dandi Satyagraha) in 1930. He worked with gramophone companies like Hutchins. He attended the Gowhati Congress conclave with S. Srinivasa Iyyengar.[11]

He was closely connected to 'Rama Vilasa Sabha', a cultural association in Chittoor. He performed several stage plays, such as Sarangadhara, Viswamithra Chitra Nilayam, Savitri, Bruhannala and Ramadasu, and took on the roles of saint-poets Pothana, Vemana, Rama Dasu and Thyagiah. He won the gold medal for his female role as Chitrangi in the play Sarangadhara. During that period he was married to Vijaya Lakshmi, but she died give birth to a daughter a year after. He then married Girija. Girija too died due to miscarriage in the eighth month. His daughter died of an undiagnosed illness. He participated in long stays at Ramana Maharshi Ashram.[12]

He joined the Chennapuri Andhra Maha Sabha (CAMS), a popular cultural association of Andhras in the erstwhile Madras. Nagaiah developed a life-time friendship with Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy. H. M. Reddy formed Rohini Pictures with the association of B.N. Reddy. The firm started its first venture in Telugu through the film Gruhalakshmi in 1938, in which Nagaiah played a significant role as the brother of the heroine Kannambha. Later, the association worked through several films with Vauhini Studios including Vande Matharam (1939), Sumangali (1940), Devata (1941), Bhakta Potana (1942), Swarga Seema (1945), and Thygayya (1946). He started getting offers from the Telugu and Tamil film industries equally. Nagiah became the highest paid actor by the time he did the film Beedalapatlu.[13]

The film Thyagayya was released in the year 1946. Nagaiah was the producer, director, music director and actor for the film Thyagiah. After that he made the film Naa Illu in 1953 and Ramadasu in 1964, which won the National Film Award. Chakradhari was a musical from 1948 based on the story of the Maharashtrian potter-saint Gora Kumbhar.[14]

Civilian honours

Awards

National Film Awards
State Awards

Partial filmography

Actor

Year Film Language Character
1938 Gruhalakshmi Telugu Gopinath
1939 Vande Mataram Telugu Raghu
1940 Sumangali Telugu Panthulu
1940 Viswa Mohini Telugu A Film Director
1941 Ashok Kumar Tamil King Ashoka
1941 Devatha Telugu Venu
1942 Bhakta Potana Telugu Pothana
1943 Bhagyalaxmi Telugu Srinivasa Rao
1943 Chenchu Lakshmi Telugu Chenchu's Father
1945 Meera Hindi King of Mewar
1945 Meera Tamil King of Mewar
1945 Swargaseema Telugu Murthy
1946 Thyagayya Telugu Tyagayya
1947 Yogi Vemana Telugu Vemana
1948 Chakradhari Tamil
1949 Mana Desam Telugu
1949 Navajeevanam Tamil Mahadevan
1950 Beedala Patlu Telugu
1950 Ezhai Padum Padu Tamil Kandan
1951 Sarvadhikari Tamil
1952 Thayi Ullam Tamil
1953 En Veedu Tamil
1953 Gumasta Tamil
1953 Gumasta Telugu Ranganatham
1953 Ladki Hindi
1953 Naa Illu Telugu Sivaram
1953 Panakkari Tamil
1953 Penn Tamil
1953 Prapancham Telugu
1953 Sangham Telugu
1954 Ethirparadathu Tamil Dayaparar
1954 Maa Gopi Telugu
1954 Viduthalai Tamil Periaswamy
1955 Anarkali Telugu
1955 Kanavane Kan Kanda Daivam Tamil
1956 Asai Tamil
1956 Bhakta Markandeya Kannada
1956 Bhakta Markandeya Tamil
1956 Bhakta Markandeya Telugu
1956 Muddu Bidda Telugu
1956 Naga Panchami Telugu
1956 Tenali Ramakrishna Telugu Mahamantri Thimmarusu
1956 Tenali Raman Tamil Mahamantri Thimmarusu
1957 Nala Damayanti Tamil
1957 Nala Damayanti Telugu
1957 Panduranga Mahatyam Telugu Jahnavi
1957 Sati Savitri Telugu
1958 Bommala Pelli Telugu
1958 Ettuku Pai Ettu Telugu
1958 Parvati Kalyanam Telugu
1958 Sampoorna Ramayanam Telugu
1959 Banda Ramudu Telugu
1959 Jayabheri Telugu Viswambhara Sastri
1959 Kalaivanan Tamil
1959 Nalla Theerpu Tamil
1960 Abhimanam Telugu
1960 Shantinivasam Telugu
1960 Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam Telugu Balaji
1961 Ellam Unnakkaga Tamil
1961 Intiki Deepam Illalu Telugu
1961 Nagarjuna Telugu
1961 Pavamanippu Tamil
1961 Sabash Raja Telugu
1961 Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam Telugu Dasarathudu
1961 Vagdanam Telugu Vishwanatham (Vijaya's father)
1962 Aalayamani Tamil
1962 Dakshayagnam Tamil Dadhichi
1962 Dakshayagnam Telugu Dadhichi
1962 Siri Sampadalu Telugu Nayudu
1962 Swarnamanjari Telugu
1962 Valar Pirai Tamil
1963 Anuragam Telugu
1963 Lakshadhikari Telugu Lakshadhikari Rangaiah
1963 Lava Kusha Telugu Valmiki Maharshi
1963 Naan Vanangum Daivam Tamil
1963 Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham Telugu Akroora
1964 Aatma Balam Telugu
1964 Aggi Pidugu Telugu
1964 Amarshilpi Jakkanachari Kannada
1964 Chandavalliya Tota Kannada
1964 Amarshilpi Jakanna Telugu
1964 Annapurna Kannada Father of Annapurna
1964 Bobbili Yudham Telugu
1964 Devatha Telugu Father of Prasad
1964 Gudi Gantalu Telugu
1964 Pachai Vilakku Tamil
1964 Ramadasu Telugu Ramadasu
1965 Preminchi Choodu Telugu
1965 Satya Harishchandra Telugu Vasistha Maharshi
1965 Shanti Tamil
1965 Sri Simhachala Kshetra Mahima Telugu Father of Pururava
1965 Veerabhimanyu Telugu
1966 Aastiparulu Telugu Diwan to Zamindar
1966 Adugu Jaadalu Telugu
1966 Bhakta Potana Telugu Vyasa Maharshi
1966 Navarathri Telugu
1966 Parakkum Pavai Tamil
1966 Paramanandayya Sishyula Katha Telugu Paramanandaiah
1966 Sri Krishna Pandaviyam Telugu
1967 Bhama Vijayam Telugu
1967 Iru Malargal Tamil
1967 Maa Vadina Telugu
1967 Poola Rangadu Telugu Veeraiah
1967 Private Master Telugu Father of Private Master
1967 Rahasyam Telugu
1967 Marapurani Kadha Telugu Madhava Rao
1967 Sri Krishnavataram Telugu Dhritarashtra
1967 Veera Pooja Telugu
1968 Bandhavyalu Telugu
1968 Brahmachari Telugu
1968 Nindu Samsaram Telugu
1968 Ramu Telugu
1968 Thillana Mohanambal Tamil Shanmugasundaram's guru
1969 Aadarsa Kutumbam Telugu
1969 Mooga Nomu Telugu
1969 Natakala Rayudu Telugu Adiseshayya
1969 Saptaswaralu Telugu
1970 Akka Chellelu Telugu Second judge
1970 Tapalkaran Thanga Tamil
1970 Thalli Thandrulu Telugu Raobahadur Perumallu
1971 C.I.D.Raju Telugu
1971 Iru Thuruvam Tamil
1971 Jeevitha Chakram Telugu
1971 Kulagaurava Kannada
1971 Ramalayam Telugu Temple priest
1971 Sampoorna Ramayanam Telugu Vasishta Mahamuni
1971 Sri Krishna Satya Telugu
1971 Srimanthudu Telugu
1972 Bala Bharatam Telugu
1972 Beedala Patlu Telugu
1972 Goodu Putani Telugu
1972 Iddaru Ammayilu Telugu Laxman Rao
1972 Neethi Tamil
1972 Papam Pasivadu Telugu Doctor
1972 Pedda Koduku Telugu
1972 Sakthi Leela Tamil
1972 Ganga Gauri Tamil
1972 Pattikatu Ponnaiah Tamil
1972 Vishali Telugu
1972 Inti Kodalu Telugu
1973 Ennai Pol Oruvan Tamil
Composer and play back singer
Year Film Song
1938 Gruhalakshmi Lendu Bharata Veerulara
1953 Gumasta Oyi Parugekkadikoyi
1953 Prapancham Anta Kooleelam Manamanta Kooleelam, Premasudha Sarasilo Hamsalamai
1953 Sangham Jati Bhedam Samasipoda
1954 Maa Gopi Sanubhoothiye Leda Jagatini, Amma Krishnamma Apacharamemitamma
1956 Bhakta Markandeya Om Namashivaya, Jaya Jaya Shankara Sambasadashiva
1956 Naga Panchami Sambho Mahadeva
1956 Muddu Bidda Itulela Chesavaya O Devadeva
1956 Tenali Ramakrishna Gandupilli Menu Marichi
1957 Nala Damayanti Ghorambaina Daavagni Keelakerayai
1957 Panduranga Mahatyam Jaya Jaya Gokula Bala, Sannuti Seyave Manasa
1962 Swarnamanjari Madhuramaina Guru Deevena
1967 Maa Vadina Suthudilu Peeda Mandiramu (poem)
1967 Poola Rangadu Chillara Rallaku Mokkutu Unte Chedipoduvura
Playback singer
Director (partial filmography)
Producer (partial filmography)
Writer (partial filmography)

References

  1. ↑ "Paul Muni of India – Chittoor V.Nagayya". Bharatjanani.com. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Mahati Kalakshetram to retain Chittoor Nagaiah’s name". The Hindu.
  3. ↑ The Hindu : A revolutionary filmmaker
  4. ↑ Vishwamohini (1940) - IMDb
  5. ↑ entertaianment.oneindia.in/celebs/lakshmi/biography.html
  6. ↑ "Chittoor Nagaiah statue to be installed in Tirupati". The Hindu.
  7. ↑ "acting mentor". The New Indian Express.
  8. ↑ Autobiography – Chittor V. Nagaiah, RK Books, Hyderabad, 2004.
  9. ↑ "Special story on veteran actor Chittor Nagaiah Part 1". YouTube.
  10. ↑ Chittoor V. Nagaiah – A Monograph
  11. ↑ "Nagaiah – noble, humble and kind-hearted". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 8 April 2005.
  12. ↑ Chittoor V. Nagaiah: A Monograph
  13. ↑ Amazon / Books / Indian actor Chittoor V. Nagaiah: A Monograph, by K. N. T. Sastry (Author)
  14. ↑ "Chittoor Nagaiah statue to be installed in Tirupati". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 18 July 2006.
  15. ↑ National Film Awards (1964)

External links

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